Help me choose a 6 prong setting

[LLJsmom]

Just a comment about cleaning. Don’t bother with “professional services”.

1. Warm water
2. Dish washing liquid
3. Soft toothbrush.
4. Cup

Soak in warm water with dishwashing liquid for 10 min.
Brush with soft toothbrush
Rinse with clean warm water

Daily or as needed

Result: maximum sparkle, daily if desired.

Thus: open bottom, azure, is helpful.

 

[headlight]

I have found this just not to be enough... so I really like having a home version ultrasonic with steam. Just my experience but as I had said I personally feel my ring should’ve been set with a little more space yet I do love the height as is so done want to have raised up. So I just ultrasonic and stream each night. Obviously this is not possible when I’m traveling so I bring a little tiny bottle with some dawn dish soap and little brush.
Be careful rinsing over a sink! Make sure drain cover is extremely tight fitting plus I alway lay a washcloth over that as added protection. I like to “power rinse” in the hottest water possible.

 

[Iwanttosparkle]

DEAR PS FRIENDS:
PLEASE CHECK THIS OUT! https://emilyc.com
I recently saw this and thought it was so cool. This seems like a perfect solution for you future fiancé as well as so many others here on PS.
I am seriously considering getting one for myself.
I am also wanting to get one for my mom to wear my late father's wedding ring on a chain.
I wish I thought of this idea! Seems much softer than just a chain.

This is the neatest thing I've seen in a long time. What I like about it is that it allows the ring to lay flat, which it normally can't do on a typical chain.

 

[headlight]

meant to say much SAFER!!!

 

[dr_chill]

Thanks you both for your inputs!
I will try to reply combined to avoid the long post.

---------
Azure - I will check with Whiteflash further on the azure modification and space between culet to head. Here you can see the WF web image and seems like there is plenty of room between the two. I think their photos are with 1 carat diamonds. Anyway I am pretty sure she’d rather get a home machine to clean it than rubbing with a toothbrush from below.



---------
Comfort fit - agree. Too much to risk and more metal added. For the short fingers she has and due to her daily routines it is better to be as delicate as possible.
---------
Alloy - actually it seems that she has reaction to nickel. I was able to learn it last evening discussing a necklace she wore as a bridesmaid. Some nickel earrings she is wearing cause irritation to her ears, so 18K Palladium it is. All the other alloys ( except Platinum which has the patina) contain nickel. I guess skin irritation might depend on the % of nickel used in the alloy , but yeah … no need to overthink it here.
---------
Diamond:

@headlight No idea really how aligned should those lines be. I found a HCA checker ( is it called like this? ) here on price scope and the diamond above scored 1.3( I think 1 is the highest), all excellent scores and just “very good” on symmetry. For the colour I meant range from G to D, meaning I do consider the F and E . Probably I will go with F or E as they are in the top 3 colourless. The diamond image is magnified by a lot and it’s hard to judge online, but I think anything in D-E-F , ACA and VS2 or above will be similar as web image and even identical in person.

On the size I have no clue of the size she wants. All I know is that my sister has 0.20 carat and my GF ( and her mom , haha ) think it is big. So I am really positive a 3 times bigger diamond will just WOW her. I am even considering to go with 0.5 carat , it is easier to replying to the question “How big it is? -Well half a carat” , but most probably I will get 0.6.

On the necklace idea - it is really good, maybe we can consider but it won’t be right now. I don’t know what’s the case in the OR but definitely she will try to keep it safe. Anyway due to the nature of her work any setting I choose will fall under the OR conditions, so it will be a consideration for later.

P.S. There was a JamesAllen link where you can give parameters to diamond and see how they would look like in real dimensions. As I browse in incognito mode mostly I unfortunately lost track of that URL.

 

[headlight]

I am sure the jewelry she wore as a bridesmaid was costume/fashion jewelry and that is common to get a reaction but it doesn't matter as you are getting the 18k so topic closed.
As for the James Allen thing I will have to allow someone else more familiar with their site respond.
I am also not sure what you are asking about the diamond but E & F color grades in VS2 or higher and ACA stone is going to be fabulous. And it has a great HCA score.
As for size, I really cannot say as I do not know her or anything about her "world". I would say to stick with your original size range but if you think going smaller is the way to go only you know, I wouldn't get half a carat versus 60-70 points just so it makes it easier for her to tell someone the size if they ask. And, quite honestly, if you get her something around 70 points she can just say it's 3/4 carat altho it really it is no one's business and she doesn't have to tell them, she can simply say I don't know, that he proposed with this beautiful diamond and I didn't ask any questions because it didn't matter to me. Let them guess. Who cares. They will be knocked off their feet by the quality of what you bought because it will be clearly evident and that will overshadow the size. It will be so much more impressive than a larger stone of lower color, clarity, cut quality. But I would stick with the size you intended originally. That is still modest by most standards. There is this thing called DSS... Diamond Shrinkage Syndrome where after a while the diamond doesn't seem to look as big. You are better off going a little larger now and spending a little more now that upgrading later. Even if your vendor has a good upgrade policy, she may be very sentimental about the actual stone you proposed with so just cover your bases now. Also, you said she is a physician, I believe, and she will have social or professional functions where I am sure many women will be wearing very large diamonds by comparison and even though you say she doesn't care about those things I am sure she won't mind have something closer to 3/4 carat over 1/2 a carat. There is definitely a visual difference between those 2 sizes. A 3/4 carat is still very modest, not showy. That's just my opinion, and I am just one person that doesn't even know you. Perhaps others here on PS will give their thoughts which very well may differ from mine and for which I totally respect... and then you can make your own decision.
As for her taking it on and off when she goes into the O.R., please, please, please make sure she safely locks it up in a personal locker or whatever they have at her workplace. The safest place for the ring is on her finger, not being taken on and off outside of your home. That is why I thought the item I suggested would be a great idea for her. She can wear that around her neck under her clothing and surgical "greens", then when she goes to scrub her hands for prep she can place the ring on the holder, tuck it under her shirt, then scrub her hands and have her gloves applied. After she is done in the O.R. and washes her hands, she can put her ring back on. Hence, it never leaves her body. Just a suggestion. ALSO, have you thought about insurance? You definitely should get it insured. Very important.

 

[lovedogs]

Thanks you both for your inputs!
I will try to reply combined to avoid the long post.

---------
Azure - I will check with Whiteflash further on the azure modification and space between culet to head. Here you can see the WF web image and seems like there is plenty of room between the two. I think their photos are with 1 carat diamonds. Anyway I am pretty sure she’d rather get a home machine to clean it than rubbing with a toothbrush from below.



---------
Comfort fit - agree. Too much to risk and more metal added. For the short fingers she has and due to her daily routines it is better to be as delicate as possible.
---------
Alloy - actually it seems that she has reaction to nickel. I was able to learn it last evening discussing a necklace she wore as a bridesmaid. Some nickel earrings she is wearing cause irritation to her ears, so 18K Palladium it is. All the other alloys ( except Platinum which has the patina) contain nickel. I guess skin irritation might depend on the % of nickel used in the alloy , but yeah … no need to overthink it here.
---------
Diamond:

@headlight No idea really how aligned should those lines be. I found a HCA checker ( is it called like this? ) here on price scope and the diamond above scored 1.3( I think 1 is the highest), all excellent scores and just “very good” on symmetry. For the colour I meant range from G to D, meaning I do consider the F and E . Probably I will go with F or E as they are in the top 3 colourless. The diamond image is magnified by a lot and it’s hard to judge online, but I think anything in D-E-F , ACA and VS2 or above will be similar as web image and even identical in person.

On the size I have no clue of the size she wants. All I know is that my sister has 0.20 carat and my GF ( and her mom , haha ) think it is big. So I am really positive a 3 times bigger diamond will just WOW her. I am even considering to go with 0.5 carat , it is easier to replying to the question “How big it is? -Well half a carat” , but most probably I will get 0.6.

On the necklace idea - it is really good, maybe we can consider but it won’t be right now. I don’t know what’s the case in the OR but definitely she will try to keep it safe. Anyway due to the nature of her work any setting I choose will fall under the OR conditions, so it will be a consideration for later.

P.S. There was a JamesAllen link where you can give parameters to diamond and see how they would look like in real dimensions. As I browse in incognito mode mostly I unfortunately lost track of that URL.

It's not James allan, it's diamdb

Love that website for visualizing size on a given finger size

 

[dr_chill]

Still undecided on that azure and it freaks me out. I know it is better to have it, but I am kinda worried if it's not there by design and they add the hole, it might not turn out good. Anything can happen , I might not even like it, it might be off-centered , who knows. Maybe I walk in a circle around this topic , but I didn't see anyone ordering it and likewise having any issues if it's not there. Is it really that hard if you don't have the azure to clean it ?

@lovedogs Thanks! I knew there was something database (db) involved. Seems like I got confused because of the pink colours and thought it is James Allen. It will be really helpful on diamond decision.

@headlight The half carat was supposed to be a joke Of course I am not going to get her half a carat just cause it is easy to say. Yea, I do realise 0.75 is substantial difference to 0.60 , but that comes with a price - around 1000$ more and I also have to consider import taxes. I did a quick math and if I go with the cheapest 0.71carat diamond(just 0.1 bigger compared to the 0.60 I have in mind) I will need to pay in total around 1300$ more - 1000$ for the diamond and 300$ more on import taxes. This is like a week in Tuscany for two, haha. Just seems too much.

It's not about modesty to me, it's about quality. Actually no questions on the diamond , I think it will be the best I can get in my budget in the ranges I mentioned. And hopefully as you say any diamond in those ranges will be fabulous. I read quite a lot on reddit on the perfect table, crown , pavilion angle etc. so I am quite aware of those as well , but actually any ACA diamond is in the perfect proportion/ percentages on those parameters. I am a bit confused on the magnified images as well, for example showing a big of brown or misaligned arrows as you said, but I don't think that will be visible or will be anything near in person.

On the OR issue - actually she told me a while back that her colleagues anaesthesiologists do wear all their jewelleries, no issues at all.

Good point on Insurance - we will think about it , is there any online vendor that is doing this or ? How can we proceed ? Or we need to do it once we have the ring (physically)? Just to mention once again - we are not US based.

 

[dr_chill]

Btw forgot to ask once again if @Weecam can give some more input is it hard to clean the e-ring without the azure ? Thanks a lot!

 

[Weecam]

@dr_chill honestly I hadn’t even noticed that the setting didn’t have an azure....I didn’t even know what that was until I read this thread

I can say that I’ve never had any problems cleaning my diamond and I did it every couple of days. It’s quite easy to get a toothbrush in between the prongs.

 

[dr_chill]

thank you @Weecam!

Also I got response from WF that the ring doesn’t have the azure as there would be enough space between the culet and the basket that would allow easy cleaning and wouldn’t cause issues.

----------
So design / modification wise it is all clear, however I got one concern and insights would be really helpful. Ring size. So … there are so many size charts that contradict with each other that I got easily confused. She is ring size 56 (European) and inner diameter 18mm , which according to the vendor website of the ring she owns corresponds to 7 1/2 US, however when I check in WF size chart there is no 56 size, there is 56 1/2 that equals 8 US.

To make it more complex if I go to https://www.diamdb.com/diamond/1ct-round-6.5x6.5x3.92/ I have the options of 17.9mm or 18.1mm inner diameter. First corresponds to 7 3/4 US (or 7,75 US) , the second to 8 US. However there is nothing in between - 18mm , the size she is. It has to be something like 7 7/8 (7,875 US) if such size existed.

The warranty card of the vendor states ring size 16/56. For Europe it is 56 , WF has 56 1/2 which is 8 US. Actually 16 size is India/Japan/South America and surprise but 16 doesn’t correspond to 56 according to WF, but to 56 1/2 as I mentioned.

So I think it is something in between 7 3/4 and 8 , but don’t know which size chart should I trust. I think the inner diameter is quite helpful and it is more accurate than any size chart , but I couldn't find any trustworthy info/chart.

 

[southernicetea]

thank you @Weecam!

Also I got response from WF that the ring doesn’t have the azure as there would be enough space between the culet and the basket that would allow easy cleaning and wouldn’t cause issues.

----------
So design / modification wise it is all clear, however I got one concern and insights would be really helpful. Ring size. So … there are so many size charts that contradict with each other that I got easily confused. She is ring size 56 (European) and inner diameter 18mm , which according to the vendor website of the ring she owns corresponds to 7 1/2 US, however when I check in WF size chart there is no 56 size, there is 56 1/2 that equals 8 US.

To make it more complex if I go to https://www.diamdb.com/diamond/1ct-round-6.5x6.5x3.92/ I have the options of 17.9mm or 18.1mm inner diameter. First corresponds to 7 3/4 US (or 7,75 US) , the second to 8 US. However there is nothing in between - 18mm , the size she is. It has to be something like 7 7/8 (7,875 US) if such size existed.

The warranty card of the vendor states ring size 16/56. For Europe it is 56 , WF has 56 1/2 which is 8 US. Actually 16 size is India/Japan/South America and surprise but 16 doesn’t correspond to 56 according to WF, but to 56 1/2 as I mentioned.

So I think it is something in between 7 3/4 and 8 , but don’t know which size chart should I trust. I think the inner diameter is quite helpful and it is more accurate than any size chart , but I couldn't find any trustworthy info/chart.

I would recommend calling WF since you are going with one of their settings, and you know her inner ring diameter. I'd ask what they would recommend. There are slight nuances with sizing and band width, and they can probably tell you which one to go with. If all else fails, I'd probably go with the 8 and size down if necessary (so you know the ring will go over her finger when you propose). Plus, people say once you pair it with the wedding band, it fits a little tighter.

 

[dr_chill]

I will check with them on exact inner diameter for 7,75 and 8 sizes. Hopefully they can help.

I was thinking about the wedding band as well, but as we discussed that setting wouldn’t allow flush fit and it will be hard to achieve.

So I saw more size charts including Wikipedia that can be considered trustworthy, and unfortunately there is no exact 18mm size. 7 3/4 US is anything between 17.80mm to 17.97mm and 8 US is between 18.10mm and 18.19mm. On one of the charts, 16 size ( Japanese I believe) is 7 3/4 US while on others it is 8 US.

Still I think going with 8 US will be better. Would a 0.2mm be a big difference in inner diameter? I'd love to nail it and get the accurate match , but also I believe in case of resizing it is easier to resize down a size rather than increasing ring size?

 

[dr_chill]

I’d really need some advise on those two diamonds:

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4006533.htm

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3824331.htm

The first one is amazing and my gut feeling tells me to get it , however I am not sure whether I am biased by the website image. Just looks like it has more sparkle and fire than the second one.

Does it worth paying the 750USD difference for higher clarity VS1 ?
Also please note that the diamonds are similar in size. The second one is just 4% smaller.
In addition First one scores 1.3 in HCA, second one 0.9.

I just believe I might be a bit more comfortable getting higher VS1 clarity considering I am not going to see the diamond in person, but it is a big difference and scores are similar ( HCA is even better ).

 

[Dancing Fire]

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4006533.htm

I just believe I might be a bit more comfortable getting higher VS1 clarity considering I am not going to see the diamond in person, but it is a big difference and scores are similar ( HCA is even better ).

Very nice stone! Go for it!

 

[dr_chill]

@Dancing Fire , thank you!
I have even reserved it , but then I came across this one:

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3994069.htm

and just not sure, only because the table% is a bit higher so it might appear slightly larger.

Also this one showed up - https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4107630.htm, but probably I will go with 0.6carat at least.

Whiteflash website is down, so here are the table %s of the three:

0.585c = table 56.1%, depth 61.4%,crown 34.6%
0.6c = table 56.3%, depth 62%,crown 34.8%
0.607c = table 54.9%, depth 61.8%,crown 34.8%

 

[yssie]

1. Ring size: go with the 8, no question. Two bands will fit more tightly than one, she will appreciate you leaving it a titch loose when it’s time to add a wedding band.

2. Go with comfort fit, no question. I have more bony fingers - the knuckle is bigger. My best friend (who is a genuine size 0 - I’m not!) has size 6 fingers that are fleshier above the knuckle. Comfort fit makes a bigger difference in comfort for her, as the ring is actually hugging skin all the time.

3. Do NOT have them drill holes in any settings! The only way to do this sort of modification and not have it end poorly is thorough custom design, which is considerably more expensive.

4. Palladium/WG is icy white. It’s barely distinguishable from platinum side-by-side in all lighting environments - there is absolutely no need to worry about rhodium plating.

 

[Dancing Fire]

@Dancing Fire , thank you!
I have even reserved it , but then I came across this one:

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3994069.htm

and just not sure, only because the table% is a bit higher so it might appear slightly larger.

The table size have nothing to do with its size appearance. You go by the diameter of the stone which in this case is the .607ct.

 

[Miss Marple]

FYI, you can ask them to make the ring a size 7 7/8.

 

[TweetyBird23]

Just a comment about cleaning. Don’t bother with “professional services”.

1. Warm water
2. Dish washing liquid
3. Soft toothbrush.
4. Cup

Soak in warm water with dishwashing liquid for 10 min.
Brush with soft toothbrush
Rinse with clean warm water

Daily or as needed

Result: maximum sparkle, daily if desired.

Thus: open bottom, azure, is helpful.

I like to add regular white vinegar to blue Dawn soap in a cup. It's amazing how the blue Dawn + vinegar mixture cuts grease compared to using regular dawn soap - both for cleaning rings and dishes.

 

[dr_chill]

@Weecam sorry to ask again but I am on the final lap. So you told me you ordered without any modification, but what about the prongs? I really like how delicate they are on your ring ans would like to achieve the same.

So I guess I should just order as it is( without any mods or comments on prongs)?

WF mentioned they can put a note to make them as delicate as possible but if design is as yours I’d rather keep the original to avoid making them too thin.

Thank you!

 

[Weecam]

I made no modifications at all dr_chill.

 

[dr_chill]

Thank you, @Weecam. And thanks to the rest of the posts, it is tremendously helpful!

It will be good if I can get some insights by @coffeedonutcake and/or @Alisa - the girls with the same setting that replied in your thread when you asked for help. Did you girls make any modifications to the prongs of the Elegant setting?

Anyway I am gonna order and if needed I will modify later.
WF told me prongs are hand done so there are some tolerances and that's why I don't want to bet on someone else's understanding of "as delicate as possible".

 

[headlight]

I like to add regular white vinegar to blue Dawn soap in a cup. It's amazing how the blue Dawn + vinegar mixture cuts grease compared to using regular dawn soap - both for cleaning rings and dishes.

Is your mounting platinum? I am not sure if the white vinegar will be too much for the white gold.

 

[coffeedonutcake]

@dr_chill I asked for "delicate claw prongs", and kept everything else as is. I don't think you need to pay extra for "comfort fit" as the setting is already super comfortable.

My ring has a hole on the bottom of the head and it came like that. I didn't have to ask for it. Is that the azure thing you are looking for?

 

[headlight]

Okay, so I just spent the last hour going through the Whiteflash options and comparing to the Tiffany. You are going to hate me for saying this, but I think you should order the Jovyn mounting! That head is the closest to the Tiffany for the graceful swoops and the openings in between. And then you get your claw prongs you wanted. The shank looks at though it is a little wider on the bottom, where it would sit on the underside of her finger which should help with stability. And then the narrow taper toward the diamond will make her diamond really stand out. So you have homework to do: See if you can find a competent jeweler you can trust to set your diamond in your area or closest major city. (If you can, be certain to compare the grading report to your stone with a loupe at that jeweler and then compare again upon pick up to ensure they have not switched the stone.) If you can find a local jeweler who can do it, I say order the mounting and order the diamond... have all sent to you and take to get set. Will Jovyn people set a diamond if it is sent to them? If Whiteflash won't send directly, have the stone sent to them and you send to Jovyn if you don't want to do it locally. I know this is a super big hassle but there is no comparison in my view to the Jovyn mounting based on all your criteria. Honestly, I think the Jovyn is way prettier than Tiffany's. Sorry to add to your angst but it honestly will be worth all this extra legwork and time and expense in the end for something she will wear and cherish forever.

 

[Alisa]

Thank you, @Weecam. And thanks to the rest of the posts, it is tremendously helpful!

It will be good if I can get some insights by @coffeedonutcake and/or @Alisa - the girls with the same setting that replied in your thread when you asked for help. Did you girls make any modifications to the prongs of the Elegant setting?

Anyway I am gonna order and if needed I will modify later.
WF told me prongs are hand done so there are some tolerances and that's why I don't want to bet on someone else's understanding of "as delicate as possible".

Hi, I did not make any modifications to the elegant setting and I am super happy with how it turned out. The prongs are tiny claws, I would say they are not as “pointy” as some of the ones I have seen on here but they are quite small and delicate. Overall I still love the setting! I wanted to spend as much money as possible on the diamond so that is why I chose one of the WF settings instead of a different designer one.

 

[southernicetea]

I'd trust WF to make your prongs right. Vatche had originally done my prongs on the Vatche U113 but there were some issues, and WF fixed it. When I compare my setting to Tiffany's, I actually love mine more because it has similar unobtrusive prongs as Tiffany's, but the diamond is less "squatty" as Tiffany's.

 

[dr_chill]

Thank you all!

@headlight I would have gone with Jovyn, but logistics wise it was not the best decision. Also I sent two follow ups on my e-mail and they didn't reply. I decided to skip a vendor that is not interested in selling me a 1600USD ring. Imagine if I needed to request information more often once the ring is in production. No thanks.

On the tiffany - you know she just mentioned it , but still Vatche is not a Tiffany, Jovyn is not a Tiffany. So why spend more on U113, like 1000USD more , on a setting that actually I think will be overwhelming for a 0.6carat diamond. I am really thankful you put that much effort in browsing Whiteflash website for me and I agree flush fit would have been good solution , but still the Elegant looked far more appealing to me than the U113. Elegant is 2.3mm wide and 1.4mm thick. Thank you for your research and your posts, really helped me in the decision making process!

@Alisa , @coffeedonutcake thank you for your replies! Judging from your photos I can barely notice any difference, so any of the two options(claw or by design) will be a safe bet.

I think @southernicetea you have a point. Anyway talking to WF I realised that claw/delicate prongs are a finishing technique that can be done even at a later stage, so I shouldn't have any concerns there. I also believe I should just trust them. Below is a photo I have uploaded in my opening post and this is what WF told me the original/actual ring prong design is(front of the finger is Elegant) and if that's the case then I would go by design:

 

[dr_chill]

Hello, hello!

Me again.
I received some photos - the diamond is AMAZING, but I am not happy with the end result and I have some concerns listed below the photos:



1) prong size is too thick compared to what I have posted previously
2) offset of the diamond - prongs covering 4 out of 8 arrows. Should I request diamond reposition if I can so that prongs can cover only south and north arrows as the default website images?
3) hole under the culet doesn’t seem symmetrical at all , lines are not straight at all. Pictures to show what I mean with this:



I am in contact with Whiteflash regarding my concerns and requested prongs to be remade claw but would like to hear what you guys think, especially on the diamond offset and that "hole" symetry?

@Weecam , @coffeedonutcake , @Alisa - girls what is the position of your diamond arrows ? What about the prongs, do they seem too thick ? And generally any advise from Elegant Tiffany holders would be appreciated based on the photos above. Thanks!!!

I am just not really happy with the result. I know the diamond size is only 0.6, but this ring just doesn't match those images: